111. Wait, Gift Giving Has Rules?

It's the final episode of the "season!" And what better way to close out a holiday season than to talk about quirky things around gifting?

Giving gifts is such a fun part of any culture, but it can be governed by many invisible rules you might not be aware of. With our Asian upbringing in mind, we recount typical gift-giving situations amongst our Asian families. From the right gifts to the wrong gifts, we discuss all of the hidden elements to gift giving in Eastern culture. While some things are quite obvious, such as unlucky words or numbers, there is a surprising amount of untold mannerisms behind certain gift exchanges.

Of course, it wouldn't be a typical episode without also contrasting with our experience of gift-giving in Western culture. Through our discussion, we found a surprising number of gift-giving rules to overlap between the cultures. In the end, it seems like gift-giving is a way to communicate all kinds of positive intentions - no matter what culture you find yourself in.

Have you ever found yourself in a foreign gift-giving scenario? Let us know in our comments on TikTok or on Instagram with your thoughts!

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